Separated at birth???

Ok, I am going to go out on another limb here and confess that when I think "John Mayer" I think "oh, the guy who looks like Gumby". It's not that I don't like the guy, I think he makes great music. I also know that in reality the two look nothing alike, but something about him just makes me think "Gumby".

Found on my Starbucks cup this morning

The Way I See It #196

The greatest leader is a servant. Don't be a boss. Be a real leader, a servant leader. A servant leader is a winner. Even when he loses everything, even when he loses his life, a servant leader wins it all.
- Pat Williams, Senior Vice President, Orlando Magic

I was surprised (and impressed) to read this. I don't know if Pat Williams is or was a Christian, but he is so right! He totally echoes the words of Jesus, who tells us that "whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. (For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.)", and "whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?"

Is there anything more powerful than knowing that Christ came for you and me, to be a servant, and to die for us? And that we, as his followers, can do the same for others? (meaning we can also be servants) That daily we can lay down our lives, our selfish ambitions, and follow the path God has for us, which will make us His servant and servants of those around us? Being pompous and self-righteous will only distance us from the people we interact with. Being humble, patient, generous, and kind, like I think a servant leader is, makes an impression that lasts.

Less than 6 weeks left

In roughly six weeks John and I are going to have a baby. How crazy is that??? I feel so blessed that my pregnancy has gone so well so far, and continue to pray for a healthy delivery. It's so amazing to me that right now there is a real little person growing inside of me, and soon they will be ready to enter the world! I'm a little bit intimidated at the thought of what a huge responsibility being a parent will be. You always think you know what kind of a parent you will be, and it's so easy to judge how others parent their children...but I know it really won't be that easy. There's no knowing what it will really be like. All I know is that God has blessed us with a new life, and it's up to us to look to Him for our guidance.

I have just over two weeks left at work. It will be strange to leave here one Friday afternoon and know that I will not be back. I'm excited and sad. I love Gail and Michelle so much. My job really has been the greatest gift from God! I know that being a mommy will be an even greater job, so that excites me, but I will miss seeing my dear friends every day. And, I really do like my job, even if I complain sometimes :)

I'm starting to feel like I need to be cleaning my house and getting everything ready...just in case. John thinks I should just relax since 5 1/2 weeks is a fairly long time. I'm trying to save all my projects for when I finish work so that I will have things to do once I stay at home. It's just very hard to fight this strong urge! But I have to! "Nesting" can be a sign of early labour, so I will fight it as long as I can.

I'll be glad when I can post some pictures of the baby on here. That will be fun :)

...also, my lips hurt real bad today!

For Joy

Tulips for Joy

I'm thinking of you and praying for you

I hope these can brighten your day in some small way

Clarification

For those who think I'm crazy...I don't really believe that my photocopier theory is true. It's just fun to think it is.

Theory

Our photocopier at work has needed to be serviced since December. It has displayed the "time for periodic maintenance" message for months now. We keep calling Toshiba, but no-one is coming. They must be short staffed.
Well yesterday the copier showed signs of being back to normal, even though the service message is still on there. My theory is that because the copier was left long enough it "serviced" itself, much like if you don't wash your hair it also will eventually "wash" itself.
Maybe I'm crazy, but I believe that's what has happened, and I'm sticking to it!

Another couple of movie quotes I love

Christine Montgomery: ASS-es the windows!
John Whitney: Stop, stop. It's not ASS-es the windows. You put the wrong em-PHA-sis on the wrong syl-LA-ble.
Rough quote from View From the Top

Very nice, very nice! How much?
Borat (ogling a good looking woman)

On a lighter note...Overwhelming Love

Sometimes I am so overwhelmed by how much I love John that I just want to cry. He doesn't even have to do anything to make me realize this. There simply are no words to truly describe how deeply I feel for him. He is everything to me, and soon there will be another little one that I am told I will feel this same kind of powerful love for :) Amazing! What a gift it is to be able to feel this deeply and trust this much.

What is even more amazing to me is that we have a God who loves us much more than any love we feel. He loves me more than the love that leaves me speechless! My life is secure with Him in eternity. I am so grateful that He blesses me with people here on this earth who represent His love to me, and that I can also be the same for others!

Thank you for the unsolicited "advice"

One of the people I work with was having interviews to hire a new assistant today. While one of the interviewees was waiting her turn she was making small talk with me. She brought up my pregnancy and was asking me when I was due. I told her early May, so about 8 weeks. She says to me "oh, these will be the hardest weeks". I told her I didn't expect them to be to bad, and that I have had a really easy pregnancy and hardly even notice that I am pregnant. She replied "I hate people like you. You never know though, you might have an awful delivery".

Thank you. Thank you so much for your very kind words.

I know I could have a hard delivery, I certainly don't expect it to be the easiest thing I have ever done, but who says that???

The Agony!!!

I feel so awful! I just made an appointment to have my cat declawed. I don't want to have him declawed, but I don't really have a choice. John says that I have to choose between his claws or his life. When I look at it that way it's really not a hard choice at all. I don't want to kill my cat, or give him away. I will gladly get rid of his claws to keep him, I just feel so cruel. It's really not a nice procedure for a poor little kitty. I hope he doesn't hate me after it!
I know it makes sense in so many ways for us to have this done, and we probably should have even done it sooner (like before he scratched our leather couches and wrecked our carpet). It will save us money in the long run, he'll get over it, and he won't be able to scratch the baby.
I just had to vent. My poor little Tum-Tum.

I love this song...

BLUE EYES

Wish enough, wise man'll tell you a lie

Window broke, torn up screens

Who'd have thought that you'd dream

Of a single tragic scene

I just wanna sing a song with you

I just want to take it off of you

Cause Blue Eyes

You are all that I need

Cause Blue Eyes

You’re the sweet to my mean

Fess it up, dot on the palm of your hand

I can help you to stand

Saved it up for this dance

Tell me all the things you can

I just wanna sing a song with you

I just wanna be the one that's true

Cause Blue Eyes

You’re the secret I keep

Cause Blue Eyes

All the lights on and you are alive

But you can't point the way to your heart

So sublime, when the stars are aligned

But you don't know

You don't know the greatness you are

Cause Blue Eyes

You are destiny's scene

Cause Blue Eyes

I just wanna be the one

I just wanna sing a song with you

I just wanna get it on with you

Cause Blue Eyes

You’re the secret I keep

Cause Blue Eyes

I just wanna sing a song with you…

Written by Cary Brothers© 2004 Procrastination Music

listen here: http://www.carybrothers.com/

Kids say the darndest things

My sister (Anna) and her husband (Patrick) have four daughters, two sets of twins who are going to be 7 and 12 this year. They also have three dogs, a cat, two hamsters, and a fish. Their house is always crazy busy, and if you go there you are almost guaranteed to hear someone say something crazy/funny.
A while ago, when they got their female dog, they had to explain to their kids why they had to keep the male and female dogs separated while the female was in heat.

This conversation took place shortly (a day or so?) after the explanation:

Megan (one of the younger girls) on her way past her dad: I love you daddy.
Patrick: I love you.
Megan stops dead in her tracks.
Megan (very accusingly): You humped mommy!
Patrick (a bit surprised): Yes, I did.
Megan: And she let you!?!?!?!

What do you say to this? It is so funny to me. I wish I could remember more silly stories like this of funny things my nieces and nephew have said. They are so priceless! You always think you'll remember, but usually you don't :(

As a side note, they were not successful in keeping the dogs separated and that is why they have three now :)

Silly

This is John and I with our "helicopter noses" this summer. We were visiting my sister in Sweden and had a day trip with a bunch of kids who stuck these to our noses. What a fun trip!

I thought this was really funny

This is a cereal box I saw in Sweden this summer

A couple of movie/tv quotes that I love

There are so many lines in so many movies that crack me up, but these are some of my favourites:

Samir: Your know there's nothing wrong with that name.
Michael Bolton: There was nothing wrong with it...until I was about 12 years old and that no-talent ass clown became famous and started winning Grammys.
from Office Space

Michael: Listen, Gob, I don't have time for your tricks.
Gob: Illusions Michael, a trick is something a whore does for money...or cocaine.
rough quote from Arrested Development

Gob: I run a tight ship around here.
Michael: Really? With a pool table?
Gob: It's a gaming ship.
rough quote from Arrested Development

But my lips hurt real bad!
Napoleon Dynamite

Just make yourself a dang quesa-dilluh!
Napoleon Dynamite

Today is Michelle's Birthday...

sort of. Since Michelle's Birthday is actually on Sunday we are celebrating it today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE! I love you very, very much! You are such a dear friend to me and I wish you nothing but happiness for your future! I will miss having cheesecake for breakfast to celebrate our birthdays :) Here are some photos of my very dear friend:

First Post

This is my first post. John keeps asking me why I don't have a blog yet since I love reading Michelle's, and today Michelle thought I should start one so that I can post once the baby comes. So...here it is. I'm not sure if I'll ever really have anything to say, but we'll see :) I have chosen the title for my blog courtesy of Michael Scott, of NBC's "The Office". So funny! He's someone I love to hate.